KUCHING: The appointment of two Bidayuhs as assistant minister and deputy speaker is seen as a dream-come-true for the community.
Austin Dimin
In the cabinet reshuffle as announced yesterday, Dr Jerip Susil was appointed Assistant Minister of Public Health, and Datuk Roland Sagah Wee Inn as deputy speaker. A Bidayuh community leader Pemanca Austin Dimin said the community had been ‘praying and hoping’ that both of them would be promoted.
He described the two as a ‘team of doctor and lawyer’ and ‘neighbours’ who will bring the community and the state to greater heights of development.
Dr Jerip is Bengoh assemblyman and Sagah (Tarat), both under Mambong parliamentary seat.
Contacted yesterday after the announcement, Dimin did not hide his happiness and thanked the Barisan Nasional (BN) government and Chief Minister Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud.
“As a community leader, I am actually very happy for the Bidayuh community because we (Bidayuh) have been expecting good
news.
“I would also like to thank the government of the day for having the confidence in them,” he said, adding that both Dr Jerip and Sagah were experienced and qualified.
He noted that both of them had done a good job in their respective constituencies.
“I hope that both Dr Jerip and Sagah will put more effort to do more and develop the constituencies,” said Dimin, who is in charge of both Bengoh and Tarat
seats.
He acknowledged the big task ahead for both of them as they would also have to serve the whole state.
However, he hoped that they would not neglect their respective constituencies.